Water-heater



(No Model.) V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- H. A. TOBEY.

WATER HEATER. No. 353,097. Patented Nov'. 23, 1886.

N. PETERS. Pnoxu-Limognphqr. wnhingmn, D. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. A.\TOBEY.

-WATBR HEATER.

Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. TOBEY, OF LIMA, OHIO.

WATER-HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,097, dated November 23, 1886.

nppncanontlea rune r1, 18er. serial No. 168,989. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ToEEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lima, in

the cou-nty of Allen and State ot' Ohio, have,

invented certain new and useful Improvements in VatenHeaters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descripf "ply pipeand at the other end with a steam-trap.

Cold water is admitted at the bottom of the shell and hot water is discharged from the top. The valve in the steanrsupply pipe is opened as much as may be required and a constant current of steam admitted to the steam-coil.

lThe objections to such a heater are that at times when little or no hot water is being usedat night, for example-the waterin the heater becomes so hot that a portion of it is converted into steam, which rises to the top of the heater, displaces the water and forces it back into the cold-water tank. Thus, as often occurs, all the water in the cold-water tank may become heated and accidents happen by scalding, hot water being discharged froma supposed cold-water faucet. XVhen a hot-water faucet is opened, if there is steam in the heater, it must all be allowed to escape before water can be obtained. Besides the inconvenience and danger,there is a great waste of heat and consequent unnecessary expenditure of fuel.

The receiver for `the shell of an ordinary heater must be large, so as to contain a reservoir of hot water to meet a large demand or draft from the heater, which becomes cooler as itis drawn off, and consequently such heaters are bulky and expensive, and having so much surface they waste a great deal of heat by radiation.

The object of my invention is to overcome these objections, and to this end it consists of mechanisms hereinafter described, and particu Iarly claimed.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section showingthe different part-s of the device; Fig. 2, a view showing a modiiication in the form of the shell or body that may be used instead of that shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a segment of the heater, showing the lever and valve connections, with the body of the heater broken away to show the arrangement of the steam or heating-pipes and the expansive or discharge-water-pipe.

In the drawings, A is the receiver or body of the heater, which is composed of a shell, C, secured to ends B and B; or which may be composed of two separate iron pipes put t0- gether by suitable connections, as shown in Fig. 2.

D is a hollow casting, into which are fastened at one end the pipes E, they freely communicating with its interior. A tubular projection, d, of said casting passes out of re-l ceiver A through an opening in iiexible plate o, and has screwed onto it valve F, flexible plate o being held between their annular surfaces. The opposite ends of pipes E are secured in suitable perforations or holes in plate G. Gap H is of the same diameter as plate G,and is made bulging, which forms a space between it and plate G, Vto admit of a free circulation of steam between it and the ends of pipes E. Cap H rests against plate G, and plate G against end B', and they are both heldsecurelyin place by bolts passing through them into rim e, around opening e in end casting B. Tubular projection a forms a connection for a steam trap or pipe for discharging the water of condensation from pipes E.

J is a tube of some metal that has a large ratio of expansion by heat-for instance, brass-which is located in the upper part of chamber A. One end of tubeJ extends through and is rigidly fastened to end casting, B, at g, and connects with the hot-water -discharge pipe R. The other end is plugged or shut and rests against flexible plate o', and has screwed into it, through an opening in diaphragm or iieXible plate o, extension shaft or arm m,said flexible plate being pressed between annular surfaces on said pipe and arm;

'it' are perforations in pipe J, to admitwater from chamber A to said pipe. They are l0- eated near the end of the pipe that rests against ICO..

flexible plate o. Flexible plate o closes opening a in end casting B, and is held in place by llat ring or circular castinglpressingits margin or edge between it, and arim around opening n, said ring being firmly bolted to said rim. Flexible plate o is secured in position in the same manner by ring P.V Bing F has brackets or projections gq, Fig. 3, which support the fulcrums of lever L.

L is a lever of suitable strength, which has its fulcrum at r by a suitable connection with brackets q q. The short arm of said lever is acted upon by extension-arm m, with which it has a suitable connection at t, Fig. 1, and the long` arm acts upon valve-stem w, with which it is connected, in a manner hereinafter dcscribed.

Valve F may be avalve of any hind, so that movement of the valve-stem outward or to the left, as shown in the drawings, opens the valve, and a reverse movement closes it. A balanced or easily-operated valve, however, is preferable. u u, Fig. 3, are arms made fast to the shell of valve F, to the outer or free ends of which cross-bar o is secured, which acts as a guide for and supports the outer end of valve stem w.

.0c are rings or nuts connected to valve- .stem w, which is screw-threaded to receive them. They may be thus. turned and secured at any suitable point on the valve-stem.

'y is a spiral spring, of suitable strength, encircling valve-stem w, the fixed end of which presses against crossfbar v, and the other or movable end against lock-nuts :v x. The opposite sides of nuts x x press against suitable bearings made on the fork at the end of the long arm of lever L. Y

Qis the inlet or water-supply pipe to the heater, and R is the discharge-pipe.

S is the inlet or supply steam pipe to watervalve F, and Tis the discharge-pipe forwater of condensation from pipes E.

The operation of the device is `as follows: Steam is admitted by valve F through hollowT casting D to pipes E, and gives off its heat to the water surrounding said pipes, and the water of condensation is discharged through pipe T, to which a suitable steam-trap should be attached. W'ater admitted to heater at Q must pass lengthwise with pipes E and rise between them to get to openings 17 t' in pipe J to be discharged,and will thus rapidly become heated by contact with said pipes. Besides the current or movement given the water by its passage from inlet to outlet, the hottest portion of the water would naturally rise to the top of the heater. Tater before being discharged enters pipe J at openings 'i t', and passes through said pipe its entire length. Thus its internal and external surfaces coming in contact with the water being discharged and that at the top of the heater, its tempera ture must be the same as that of the water, and any changes in the temperature of the water instantly changes the temperature of the pipe. Pipe J, as before stated, is a tube of some suitable metal having a higher ratio of expansion by heat than iron, of which the shell of the heater is made, and therefore as the temperature ofthe water rises the difference in the relative lengths 'of pipe J and the shell of the heater increases. As pipe J is made rigidly fast to end casting B, there can be no motion in that direction; consequently the motion obtained by the increased length of said pipe must operate in the opposite direction, which is provided for by flexible plate or diaphragm o', which readily springs outward and inward as said pipe expands and contracts. As expansion occurs in pipe J extension-arm m is pushed outward andtraction on short arm of lever L is relieved, which action diminishes the resistance of long arm of said lever to the action of spring t, allowing it to push the stem of valve F inward, thus closing the valve and shutting off steam from heating-pipesE. YIt will be seen that if pipes E are of the same metal as pipe J this expansion will facilitate the closing of valve F, they being held stationary by plate G, which is bolted to end casting B, their motion is imparted tothe body ol' valve F, pushing outward, or in an opposite direction to themovement ofthe valve-stem. Flexible plate ois to allow for this motion. Vhen hot water is drawn from the heater, cold water is admitted to replace it,which lowers the temperature of the pipes, causing them to contract or shorten, and reverses the operation just described. Valve Ftherefore is opened and shut auto matically by the expansion and contraction principally of pipe J; or, in other Words, the temperature of the water in the heater controls and regulates the supply of steam to the heater. Slight motion of short arm of lever L is many times multiplied by long arm of said lever at its connection with valve-stem tu. Therefore only a few degrees'variation of temperature in pipe J is required to open and close valve F. W'ater drawn from the heater will therefore always be of nearly the same temperature, whether much or little be taken. If draft be made on the heater to its entire capacity, valve F will be opened wide and pipes E filled with steam at boilerpressure, while, on the contrary, if but little water be taken, said valve will be but slightly opened. Any temperature that may be desired may be given the water by lock-nuts x x. For example, if they be moved outward on valvestem, a greater contraction of pipe J is required to open valve F, and less expansion to close said valve; consequently the steam IIO would be shut olf by a lower temperature of I25 the water.

As the water is heated as rapidly as drawn, no reservoir or storage of hot water to meet a large demand is required; consequently the receiver need be only of sufficient capacity to be comparatively small, requiring but little space and offering but little surface for heat to radiate from.

The diameter of opening e in end casting Bis greater than that of casting D, therefore when it is desirable to remove pipes E for the purpose of cleaning lime or sediment from them, it can readily be accomplished by detaching valve F from its connection with casting D and removing cap H, when pipes E, with casting D and plate G, are free to be drawn out and be removed.

My improved heater has the least possible amount of surface from which heat can radiate, and may be made to discharge either warm or hot water always at uniform temperature, and when the valve is properly set by locknuts the receiver can never fill with steam.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. In combination with a water-heater, a source of heat in connection therewith, a valve controlling such source of heat, an expansible body attached at one end to the interior of the water-heater and extending outside of the same, and a lever connecting the expansible body and the valve, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with awater-heater, of a source of heat in connection therewith, a valve controlling such source of heat, having a stem provided with a spring and locking mechanism, the expansible pipe attached at one end to the interior of the water-heater and extending outside of the same, and a lever connecting said valve stem and expansible pipe, whereby by the greater or less expansion of the pipe the valve is operated to regulate the admission of the heat and thus control the temperature of the water, substantially as described. y

3. In combination with a waterheater, a valve controlling the source of heat, an eX- pansible tube within the water-heater and made fast at one end thereto, and a iiexible diaphragm connected with said valve, and against which diaphragm the opposite end of the said tube rests and exerts pressure upon as it expands, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a water-heater in connection with a source of heat and a valve controlling such source of heat, of the expansible pipe-within the heater provided with apertures for the admission therein of the water to be discharged, with one end of the pipe rigidly secured to the casing, and a flexi ble diaphragm in the casing against which the opposite end of the expansible pipe rests, the lever connected to said valve,and an extensionarm connecting said lever to the said diaphragm and pipe, whereby the expansion and contraction of said pipe serve to move said diaphragm and lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The shell or body of the heater provided with heating-pipes, in combination with a flexible diaphragm in one end of the heater, a valve controlling the source of heat, a hollow casting in the heater supporting the said pipes at the same end, and provided with a neck extending through said diaphragm and connected with andsupporting the valve, a ring to hold the diaphragm between the valve and the said neck, and a rigid plate at the opposite end of the heater, to which the said pipes at that end are secured, whereby the series of heating-pipes are supported within the body of the heater, and a lateral expansion of the pipes in one direction permitted, substantially as and for the purpose described.

`6. In a water-heater provided with a valve mechanism controlling the source of heat, in combination with a water-inlet located near one end of the heater, the expansion-pipe connected to said valve mechanism and extending to and provided with openings near the other end of the heater, and heating-pipes placed within the heater and arranged, as`

\ tween them, and become heated before reaching the expansion-pipe, and the said pipe is kept constantly at the same temperature of the surrounding water, substantially as described.

7. The water-heater casing, in combination with the valvecasing, valve mechanism consisting of the valve, valve-stem, valve-arms. crossarm, the coiled spring on valve-stem, and the locking-nuts, the steam-pipe fixed at one end to the valvecasing, the flexible diaphragm, and the expansion device within the casing connected to the valve, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In combination with the casing and expansible tube within the casing, the lever, a steam inlet pipe, a valve fixed to said pipe, and the screw-threaded valvevstem, the latter providedwith a coiled spring and locking nuts or rings a: x', substantially as and for the purpose described.

IOO

IIO

9. The lever mechanism consistingof the long arm forked at its lower end andthe extension-piece m, to which the short arm ofthe lever is connected, and the brackets g, to which the lever-arm is pivoted, in combination with the heater-casing, the expansible tube within the casin g, the valve, and the steaminlet pipe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY A. TUBES?.

Witnesses:

ISAAC S. MOTTER, W. L. MACKENZIE. 

